As the leaves begin to hit the ground and the temperatures turn chilly the cold weather clothing starts to emerge from storage. These items are thicker and bulkier and generally require different cleaning techniques. Below are the basics for cleaning some of your warm and comfy clothing items.
Sweaters:
- As with all clothing care you definitely want to check the label. However, most inexpensive sweaters on the market these days are machine washable.
- Treat any spots that are visible.
- Or presoak the garment if necessary.
- Turn the piece inside out. This protects any designs or embellishments.
- Wash in the machine according to instructions. If you need a little more oomph you can boost your detergent with Biz Liquid Boosters.
- For most heavy garments we don’t recommend machine drying. Between the knitting and the fabric blends it is safer to hang dry these pieces.
Jackets:
- Again, consult the clothing care tag before proceeding.
- Treat any spots.
- Zip up the coat or jacket and fasten down any other bits and buttons.
- Wash on a gentle cycle in cold water.
- Lay the jacket out flat to dry.
Long underwear:
- Thermal wear can be treated very similarly to work out clothing. It’s usually a similar mix of materials ranging from cotton to nylon.
- Presoaking is a great method for this type of clothing that generally picks up a lot of body odor. We recommend using Biz Stain & Odor Eliminator, which uses enzymes to help break down stains and smells.
- Wash according to clothing care instructions.
- Again, we recommend air drying these garments. Machine dryers can wear out the elastic in long underwear.
Hats, gloves and scarves:
- Place these smaller items in mesh laundry bags. These keep the items safe and prevent them from being snagged.
- Wash according to clothing care instructions. Generally on the delicate cycle with cold water.
- Place on a towel and lay on a flat to dry.
Delicates: If any of your cold weather garments are crafted from a more delicate fabric we recommend steam cleaning, which can be done right in your home!